Volume : 10, Issue : 3, MAR 2024

FRANCIS BACON’S WORKS AND PROSE STYLE

DR. ANAND KUMAR MINJ

Abstract

Francis Bacon was not only the father of the English essay, he was also the father of modern prose style. He was the first to set up a model at English prose which had hitherto been non assitant. A comparison of his style in his Essays with the style of his contemporaries and immediate predecessor's such as Ascham, Lyly and Hooker will convince one of the very important step that he took in the direction of modern science.

In spite of his convincing mastery of the English language, Bacon, surprisingly enough, despised English as a vulgar, unworthy language doomed to oblivion and impermanence. It is clear that he did not seriously endeavor to write a consciously elegant and polished style in the language he openly despised. It was almost with an air of condescension that he seems to have reconciled himself to expressing himself in English. He wrote his serious philosophical works in Latin of whose survival value he was perfectly confident and not in English which he thought "Would one day play the bankrupt with books." About Latin he observed: It will last as long as books last." In the beginning he did not take his Essays seriously. That is why he penned them in English. Later, however, on realizing their popularity, he published a Latin version of them so that they could also survive along with his philosophical works. The Latin version of his Essays is just another curio for the collection of the antiquarian. As regards his mastery of English prose, we cannot but agree with Legouis that he proved a master of English "in spite of himself."

Lord Bacon, the great philosopher, thinker and writer, whose acuteness of observation and profundity of views and directness of style have been admired throughout the world, is a man of versatile genius. His bewildering variety of abstract subjects and encyclopaedic range of mind bring him close to Aristotle. His essays, generally abound in lofty sentiments and noble thoughts and have been admired for their inherent practical wisdom universality of appeal, sane advice and wide learning.

This paper is to interpret and evaluate achievements of the magnanimous Bacon in a particular literary genre. A close examination of the miscellaneous sources of inspiration of Bacon's prose right up to his time will demonstrate that to emerge predominantly as a classicist in English prose was his manifest destiny under the prevailing political, social and moral conditions and controversies.

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References

1. Abbot, E.A. a. Bacon's Essays. b. Bacon, An Account of his Life and Work (1885).

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10. Bacon's Work. Vol. VII. Ed. by Ellis & Spedding Heath. p. 321.